NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Assembly has unveiled a new plan to streamline how public input is collected on Bills and policy documents, targeting costly duplication that has long drawn criticism from MPs and watchdogs.
The Public Participation Bill, 2025, proposes a unified approach that would allow the National Assembly and the Senate to avoid conducting parallel public hearings on the same legislation — a practice described as wasteful and unnecessary.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has repeatedly argued that the current system, which requires both Houses to independently solicit public views even when dealing with identical Bills, leads to inefficiency and needless expenditure.
He maintains that the committee of the House where a Bill originates should take primary responsibility for gathering public input, with the second House relying on that work unless significant amendments warrant additional views.
The Bill is sponsored jointly by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkong’a and outlines detailed procedures for how Parliament should conduct public participation.
It also defines the process as the involvement of citizens in making or implementing public policy decisions, including the enactment of laws.
A key clause empowers committees to avoid duplicating processes already undertaken by the originating House, stating that “public resources shall be used prudently and responsibly.”
Where necessary, the second House may still seek extra submissions if major revisions are made to a Bill.
To further reduce time and financial costs, the proposed law encourages joint sittings of committees from both Houses to collect views in a single public exercise.
The move comes after three failed attempts — in 2018, 2019, and 2023 — to pass similar legislation. Proponents of the 2025 Bill hope renewed emphasis on efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and clarity in the law will secure its approval.
If enacted, the Bill would modernise Kenya’s public participation framework, ensuring that the constitutional requirement for citizen engagement is met without burdening taxpayers with redundant processes.
